Gold medal for Nicolò Ricco, a student at the Polytechnic University of Bari in Mechanical Engineering

In Szeged, in the 3000-meter SUP event, with a time of 4:00.44, Nicolò wins the title of University World Champion. In the 200-meter SUP Sprint event, Ricco also wins silver: second place behind the Polish athlete Majdan

September 2, 2026

Nicolò Ricco, student at the Polytechnic University of Bari and member of the university national team, wins the gold medal at the World Canoe and Kayak Championships held in Szeged, Hungary (17-20 August).

Nicolò, 19, from Bari, on the flat waters of Szeged, covered the 3000-meter distance in 4:00.44. Second place and silver went to the Polish athlete Majdan (4:08.05), and third place, bronze, to the Hong Kong athlete Chan (4:39.46). The young Poliba student-athlete did not stop at the top step of the podium and, in the 200-meter SUP Sprint event, won the silver medal with a time of 56.78 behind the Polish athlete Majdan (52.30).

“Poliba Chronicle” interviewed the newly crowned University World Champion, soon to be a second-year Mechanical Engineering student at Poliba, and a professional athlete in the Air Force sports group.

Gold and Silver Medal: satisfied with the result and the performance?

Yes, I am very satisfied, both with the medals and, above all, with the performance. Winning the Gold and taking the Silver is certainly a great satisfaction, but what makes me happiest is knowing that I brought to the race all the work done during training. Every race is different and there are always aspects to improve, but I believe I expressed an excellent level and this gives me even more motivation to keep working.

More generally, what was the experience like among so many university students from different latitudes?

It was a truly wonderful experience, not only from a sporting point of view. Competing with so many university students from different backgrounds and paths was stimulating. In the end, what I like most about university sport is precisely this aspect: beyond competition, there is the opportunity to meet new people, share experiences, and represent one’s university. It is an environment that pushes you to give your best, while at the same time allowing you to experience sport in a very positive way.

You are a Mechanical Engineering student at the Polytechnic University of Bari. Was it difficult to combine training and study?

It is certainly not easy, especially because my sport requires a significant daily commitment. I train several hours a day and at the same time my academic path is very demanding. You have to be very organized and learn to manage your time well, trying not to neglect either study or sport. At times it is tiring, but I believe that this difficulty has taught me a great deal about discipline and managing commitments. These are two aspects that, in the end, also help each other.

Where do you train?

I train in Bari, in the area in front of Pane e Pomodoro beach. 

What will your next commitments be?

These results are certainly a starting point, not an endpoint. The goal is to keep growing and to compete increasingly at international level. The next commitments are the Senior World Championships and European Championships  

The University World Canoe and Kayak Championships (FISU WUC Canoe Sports) are an international competition dedicated to student-athletes from universities around the world. The 2026 edition saw the participation of athletes from over 30 countries. The program included speed, long-distance, and men’s, women’s, and mixed relay events in Canoe speed (Sprint), Long Distance, and Stand Up Paddle (SUP).

The Italian university team was made up of 17 student-athletes from 12 universities. The next edition of the University World Canoe and Kayak Championships will be held in 2028.

Ecco l’Italia universitaria che ha partecipato ai campionati mondiali di Canoa e Kajak 2026 in Ungheria: Erika Ballarin, Universitas Mercatorum; Matteo Bazzano, Università Roma Foro Italico; Giulia Bentivoglio, Università di Parma; Beatrice Candela, Università di Milano-Bicocca; Sara Cravero, Università di Torino; Eros Dalboni, Università Milano-Bicocca; Jacopo Dalla Rosa, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Enrico Laudati, Luiss Guido Carli; Alyssa Marchetto, Università Telematica Campus; Virginia Maria Matarese, Università di Torino; Cecilia Pampinella, Università Telematica Pegaso; Giovanni Penasa, Università di Pavia; Jacopo Pulcini, Università Telematica Pegaso; Nicolò Vincenzo Ricco, Polytechnic University of Bari; Valerio Roscioli, Universitas Mercatorum; Francesca Vigorito, University of Turin; Angela Voltan, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.

The article Gold medal for Nicolò Ricco, a student at the Polytechnic University of Bari in Mechanical Engineering comes from Poliba Chronicle.